Counter refrigerator



Dec. 31, 1929. A. J. HEYER COUNTER REFRIGERATOR Filed Aug. 26. 1922Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALFRED J. HE'YER, OFST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOHUSSMANN-LIGONIER COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION Ol*DELAWARE COUNTER REFRIGERATOR Application med August 26, 1928. SerialNo. 584,425.

This invention relates `to refrigerators and more particularly to thoseknown as s owcase refrigerators which are arranged to displiy thecontents thereof for sale.

n some places where meat and other perishable goods are marketed on afairl large scale, it is found that so-called mec anical refrigerationis more economical than the use of ice for cooling and reserving theperishable goods. While mec ianical refrigeration hasordinarilv beenapplied only to such installations where perishable goods were to bepreserved in storage for an extended period more recent developments inll refiigeration liave applied the mechanical process also to smallerinstallations. It is thus found desirableto be able to apply themechanical process to the display counters and show-case refrigeratorsof a small retail l0 market.

One of the objects of this invention therefore, is to provide ashow-case or display counter refrigerator with expansion coils andyother appurtenances suitable for the applicap tion of mechanicalrefrigeiation thereto.

Another object of this invention is to provide a counter refrigeratorwith a cooling system including a brine tank in which an expansion coilis immersed which may be connected to mechanical refrigerating aparatus.

Another object of this invention is to providea counter refrigeratorwith a coolin system having an expansion coil immerse in a brine tank,said brine tank being constructed and arran ed to set u circulatingcurrents of air in tie cooling c amber so as to effectively reduce thetemperature of the goods stored in said chamber.

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional plan view of a counter refrigeratorembodying this invention;

Fig ligure 3'is a section on line 3 3, Figure 2; an

Figure 1 is a perspective `view showing a refri erator embodying thisinvention.'

5 Re erring to the accompanyingdrawing,

ure 2 is a section on line 2--2, Figure 1;

the refrigerator illustrated comprises an oblong bo x 1 iovided withglass panels 2 for displaying t ie contents of the cooling chamber 3Within the box. The chamber 3 is provided with shelves 4 for holding thegoods to be displayed. At one or both ends of the refri rerator is arefrigerating chamber 5 within which is suitably mounted a brine tank 6.

fllie tank 6 is an ordinar rectangular tank suitably arranged for hoding brine but is provided with transverse air ducts or flues 7. Anysuitable number and arrangement of tlues'may be used. Arranged withinthe tank 6 and between the flues 7 is an expansion coil 8. The coil 8 isordinarily constructed b coiliiig up a pipe of suitable material, suc ascopper, into a helical form so as to compact a considerable length ofpipe into a small space. In the device shown inthe illustration, twosuoli coils are constructed of a continuous length of ipe and placedside by side in the tank 6. he ends of the coil ipe are brought out ofthe tank 6 through suitable bushings 9. Nipples 10 may be connected tothe coils at the bushings 9 and to the nipples 10 suitable connections11 may be ma e to the exterior of the refrigerator for connection to therefrigerating machine, not shown.

When two or more refrigerating units are used in the same counter, saidunits may be connected to ether by expansion pipes 12 passinlongitudinally along the bottom of the re rigerator and providing anauxiliary refrigerating element. The connection is somade that therefrigerating medium will flow through the various coils in series.

In t e operation of this refrigerator, suitable connections are made at11 to a refrigerating machine, not shown, an expansion valve 13 beingplaced at the oint where the refri erating medium enters t ie refrierator. Suita le brine, such as a solution o salt or calciumchloride, orother suitable material `is placed in the tank or tanks 6 which are lledto such a point that the coil 8 is completely submerged` Therefrigeratin inediform. The valve 13 admits the liquid to theconnections 11 whereupon it vaporizes and expands through the coil 8 andthe pipes 12. By the well known properties of fluids and gases, thevaporization of the liquid at the expansion valve as well as itssubsequent expansion throughout the piping system is accompanied by theabsorption of a great amount of heat by the refrigerating medium. Theheat absorbed is taken from the material surrounding the coils, namelythe brine in the tank 6. This operates to cool the brine to a lowtemperature.- In ordinary operation a temperature somewhat below thefreezing point of water is maintained. The expanded gas is drawn out ofthe piping system at the outlet connection 11 and returned to therefrigerating machine by which it is compressed and again liquefied fordelivery to the expansion valve 13 whereupon the cycle is repeatedcontinuously during the operation of the machine.

When the brine in the tank 6 has been cooled to a low temperature, sucha tank constitutes a refrigerating unit which will be effective inchilling the air that comes in contact with it. The tank is arranged inthe chamber 5 so as to leave space for the circulation of airtherearound` and over and in rear of the same. As the air becomeschilled, it falls toward the floor of the refrigerator. Air passingdownwardlybehind or in rear of the tank 6 will flow into the flues 7 andbecoming further chilled by contact with the walls of said flues, willflow out at the forward end thereof and fall to the floor of the coolingchamber. The fiues 7 may be given a slight slope so as to facilitate theflow of air therethrough. The chilled air flowing downward along therefrigerating unit and pouring forth from the flues 7 forces the warmeryair of the cooling chamber 3 to raise to the top of said chamber,passing along the top toward the refrigerating units, to be chilled inits turn and caused to fall to the floor of the chamber. Thus adefinite-circulation is set up within the refrigerator. The heatcontained in the goods put into the cooling chamber for preservationistransferred to the air in that chamber, which thereupon transfers itto the refrigerating unit and by carrying on the above describedcirculation a. continuous supply of chilled air is passed around thegoods, thereby reducing their temperature to that of the atmosphere ofthe box.

It will, therefore, be seen that in accordance with this invention alcounter refrigerator is provided embodying an elongated show caseprovided with transparent panels so that the provisions, etc. in theshow case are visible and in full View. A brine-receiving unit or tankis, however, mounted at one end of the show case and this has anexpansion coil together with refrigerating medium connections to thecoil. This unit is, however, so constructed and arranged and theexpansion coil is so arran ed and its connections are so made, that acirculation of air is promoted through the unit and along the backthereof; furthermore the unit faces the show case and is in aerialcommunication with the show case compartment. Accordingly a current ofairis caused to circulate in a path from the bottom of the unit alongthe bottom of the show case and in a return path along the top of theshow case to the top of the unit. In cases where the counter is ofconsiderably extended length so that it becomes necessary to place arefrigerating unit at each end, air currents must be set up in such away that the air will be carried to all parts of the box, even to themiddle thereof between the two refrigerating units. The pipes 12connecting the two units shown in the illustration pass along the floorof the cooling chamber and serve to maintain a region of cold along thelower part of Said chamber. Thus the chilled air is induced to travelalong the floor of the chamber to the middle thereof. In this way theflow of cold air may be extended so as to reach even the goods placed ata distancefrom the refrigerating units.

It will, therefore, be seen that the invention accomplishes its objects.An expansion refrigerating unit is arranged at the end of the show case(or at each end of the show case), but this unit is so constructed andarranged as to cause a current of air to circulate in a path from thebottom of the unit, along the bottom of the show case, and in a returnpath along the top of the show case to the top of the unit. This unit istherefore, not only placed out of the way of the provisions, but a clearspace is left so that the provisions may be viewed through thetransparent panels. The circulation is further in such a'direction thatevery part of the show case compartment will be subjected to thecooling-action of the refrigerated current of air, even though the showcase be considerably extended as is necessary in modern meat markets.Moreover this direction of the current of air along the showcaseprevents losses when the doors are opened, in that the current ofair is parallel to the door opening, and will not, therefore, issuetransversely; losses are, therefore, avoided. The cooling is, therefore,by circulation and accordingly the provisions may be piled solidly onthe shelves since it is not necessary to depend upon rising and fallingcurrents of air, as is the case where refrigerating pipes are arrangedalong the bottom or top, or even sides of the show case. Moreover theobstructionsv due to the presence of such pipes when arranged along theshow case, together with the attendant drippings of condensed moistureare avoided. In accordance with this invention there is, therefore, anintensive refrigerating unit of the exparting from the spirit of thisinvention; it

is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not to be limitedto the specific details shown and described. Having thus described theinvention, what is claimed is:

l. A counter refrigerator comprising, an elongated show case providedwith transparent panels, a brine-receiving unit having an expansion coiland mounted at one end of the show case, an auxiliary refrigeratingelement extending along the bottom of the show case, and refrigeratingmedium connections to said coil, said unit being constructed andarranged to promote circulation of air therethrough and along the backthereof, andv said unit facing the show case and being in aerialcommunication with the show case compartment, whereby a current of airis caused to circulate in a path from the bottom of said unit along thebottom of the show case and in a return path along the top of the showcase to the top of said unit. y

2. A counter refrigerator comprising, an elongated show case providedwith transpar- 35 ent panels, a brine-receiving unit/at each end of -theshow case, an expansion coil for each unit, an auxiliary refrigeratingelement extending along the bottom of said show case, and refrigeratingmedium connections to said coils, each of said units being constructedand arranged to promote circulation of air therethrough and along theback thereof, and each of said units facing the show case and being inaerial communication with the show case compartment, whereby a currentof` air is caused to circulate in a path from the bottom of each 4 unitalong the bottom of the show case and in a return path along the top ofthe show case to the'top of said unit.

3. A counter refrigerator comprising, an elongated show case providedwith transparent panels, a brine-receiving unit at each end of the showcase, an expansion coil for each unit, an auxiliary expansion elementextending along the bottom of said show case and connecting said coils,and refrigerating medium connections to said coils, each of said unitsbeing constructed and arranged to promote circulation of airtherethrough and along the back thereof, and each of said units facingthe show case and being in aerial communication with the show casecompartment, whereby a current of air is caused to circulate in a pathfrom the bottom of each unit along the bottom of the show case and in areturn path along the top of the show case to the to of said unit.

4. counter refrigerator comprising, an p elongated show-case providedwith transparent panels, an expansion refrigeratmg unit mounted at oneend of sa1d showcase, an auxiliary refrigerating element arranged in thebottom of said show case, and refrigerating vmedium connections to saidunit, said unit and said element being constructed and arranged to causea current of air to circulate in a path from the bottom of said unitalong the bottom of said show-case and in a return path along the top ofthe show-case to the top of said unit.

5. A counter refrigerator comprising, an elongated show-case providedwith transparent panels, an expansion refrigerating unit.

mounted at each end of said showcase, an auxiliary refrigerating elementarranged in the bottom of said show-case, and refrigerating mediumconnections to said units, said units and said element being constructedand arranged to cause a current of air to circulate in paths from thebottom of each unit along the bottom of said show-case and in a returnpath along the top of the show-case to the top of each unit.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature this 6th day of July, 1922.

ALFRED J. HEYER.

